Self-propelled harvesting-machine.



7,7.; l ,wg 1 m wi l, H n mnw. m Z o 5 E E YT m m T nu A ..A GJ Nw R .T.G. N| BSU GEA. mmm L L A I L v OHM n. ZDN n .ET .Hlum I u L n En m n 0A.1. R D.. |Hl|. .1|| E L E S L- o0' MD@ w a/W/ AHI 3 W d fz N No.803,458. PATBNTED OCT. 3l, 1905. J. ZOLLINGER.

SELF PROELLED HARVBSTING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 18, 1905.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

J. ZOLLINGER.

SELFPROPELLBD HARVESTING MACHINE. APPLIGATION FILED AUG. 1a. 1905.A

j' 5 SHEBTSTSHEBT 4. i1@ gy 175'] 1f Afl No. 803,458. PATENTED OCT, 31,1905. J. ZOLLINGER.

SELF PROPELLED HARVESTING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED AUG-.18, 1905.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 5.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

SELF-PROPELLED HARVESTING-NIACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 31, 1905.

Application filed August 18l 1905. Serial No. 274,718.

To all wir/077e t may concern.-

Be it known that I, JUAN ZOLLINGER, a citizen of Chile, residing atVictoria, Province of Malleco, Chile, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Self-Propelled Harvesting-Machines, of which thefollowingis a specification.

This invention relates to a self-propelled harvesting-machine of a novelconstruction and adapted in use to cut the grain, thresh the same, andclean, separate, and grade the seed, so that the whole or perfect seedwill be delivered outside of the machine or into sacks at one point andthe imperfect or broken seeds and other small articles, commonlydesignated as screenings will be separately delivered. The straw isconveyed and the chaff blown out of the machine in the usual manner. Themotor that propels the machine also operates all of the mechanismthereof,and as this motor may be of any of the types of gas or explosionmotors now commonly employed on automobiles no danger is to be fearedfrom tire. Only two men are required to operate the machine-one to guideit and attend to its correct operation and the other to attend to theremoval of the grain as delivered from the machine.

Objects of the invention relate to a vertically-adjustable framecarrying cutters and in the organization and operation of parts mountedthereon and connected therewith and in the organization and operation ofcertain parts for permitting the proper steering of the machine.

In order that the invention may be clearly understood, I haveillustrated the same in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l isa side view, in sectional elevation, of a harvesting-machine constructedaccording to my invention. Fig. 2 is a broken plan view of the same, themechanism for the iinal separation and cleaning of the grain beingremoved to better illustrate the construction. Fig. 3 is a rear view,partly in section, of the cutting-frame and mechanism carried thereby.Fig. fi is a section on the line 4 4c of Fig. l viewed in the directionof the arrow. Fig. 5 is a section on the line 5 5 of Fig. l viewed inthe direction of the arrow. Fig. 6 is a view in sectional elevation,illustrating the mechanism for raising' and lowerering the cutter-frameand for driving the cutter-bar and conveyers carried by said frame. Fig.7 is a horizontal section of the same. Fig. 8 is a sectional detailshowing the connection between the main frame and the cutter-frame. Fig.9 is a detail sectional plan View showing the steering mechanism and theclutch mechanism combined therewith. ing the reversing and part of thedriving mechanism, and Fig. l1 is a sectional detail showing themechanism for throwing the reversing friction-gear.

Referring now to the drawings, in which like reference-numerals indicatesimilar parts throughout the several views, l indicates the frame of themachine, on which is supported a motor 2, having a piston 3, driving acrankshaft 4, from which latter the machine is propelled and all of theparts thereof are operated. Slidably mounted on one end of the Fig. l0isasectional detail view showframe l at what in operation is the forwardend of the machine is a supplemental frame 5, supporting at its lowerend a cutter 6 of any preferred construction and operated in any usualor preferred manner, such as hereinafter indicated, from the source ofpower through the medium of a connecting-bar 7. Mounted in the frame 5is also a reel 8 and endless conveyers 9, lO, l1, and l2, provisionbeing made for suitably operating' these parts, as shown. In the forwardmovement of the machine the rotation of the reel 8 causes the grain tobe bent backward within the frame 5, and as the grain is severed by thecutters it will fall upon the endless conveyer 9, which latter works insubstantially the same plane as that of the cutters and is driven in adirection to carry the-severed grain continuously toward one side of themachine or from right to left, as indicated in Fig. 3. At the deliveryend of the conveyer 9 the severed grain is forced by the conveyer 9against the conveyer lO and between the latter and the conveyer ll andis elevated by the combined action of the two last-named conveyers,which, as shown, occupy a substantially parallel relation. The upperportion of the conveyer 11 is arranged in a horizontal position, asindicated at 13, and as tl1e grain reaches the top of the two conveyerslO and ll it is carried forward for a short distance toward the middleof the machine by the horizontal portion 13 of the conveyer Il anddelivered upon the endless conveyer l2. The latter conveyer operates tocarry the grain falling upon it backward and to deliver the same to thethresher, which consists, as usual, of a cylinder 14 and con- IOO IIO

cave 15. A rotating feeder 15L is provided for properly delivering thecut grain to the thresher. The frame 5 is vertically adjustable throughthe medium of a worm 16, mesl ing with a worm-gear 17 on a shaft 17,having at opposite ends gears 17b in mesh with racks 17 c on the frame5. When it is desired to thresh grain which has already been cut, theframe 5 may be lowered to the ground, so as to bring' the endless conveyer 12 more nearly toa horizontal position, and thus enable the grainto be thrown upon the conveyer with greater facility. Adjustable hangers18 are provided for the conveyer 12, so that the latter may be held tautin any adjusted position of the frame 5. Fig. 1 shows the eXtreme upwardadjustment of said frame. From the concave 15 the straw and grain passto an endless conveyer 19 under the action of a rotary beater 20.Arranged in line with the conveyer 19 is a conveyer 21, and locatedbetween the conveyers 19 and 21 is a rotary feeder 22, which travels inthe same direction as the conveyers 19 and 21, a sufiicient space beingleft between the said feeder and the ends of the conveyers 19 and 21 topermit grain to fall between these parts. rl`he grain and strawdelivered from the thresher are carried backward by the conveyer 19, andthe seed falls through the space left between the feeder 22 and theconveyers 19 and 21, whereas the feeder 22, due to the direction of itsrotation, will tend to prevent any straw from passing through the spaceprovided between it and the end of the conveyer 19 and will cause saidstraw to pass on to the endless conveyer 21, where it is delivered tothe outside of the machine, there to fall upon the ground or bedelivered to aconveyer and carried to a wagon or other receptacle,suchlatter construction not being shown. The axle of the pulley 23,supporting the outer end of the endless conveyer 21, is provided with acranlvpin for operating a connecting-rod 24, pivotally connected to thecrank of a vibratory knocler 25, which is mounted for rocking movementwithin the conveyer 21, as indicated at 26. As the pulley 23 revolvesthe connecting-rod will cause the opposite ends of the knocher 25 to bealternately raised and lowered to hit the upper and lower sides of theconveyer 21, whereby to dislodge from the straw any seeds which may havebeen carried forward onto said conveyer. r1`hese seeds will fall throughthe conveyer upon a pan 27, located beneath the conveyer, and be carriedin a forward direction over said pan by the under side of the conveyerand discharged in common with the seed falling between the conveyers 19and 21 and the feeder 22 upon a sieve 28 of a shakingscreen 29. Theshaking-screen 29 comprises a bottom and side walls and a top formed bythe sieve 28. rlhe opposite ends of the screen are open, these openingsbeing' of different sizes, the larger opening facing the open end of afan-casing 30, in which is mounted a fan or blower 31, and thesmalleropening 32 being located at the rear end of thel screen for the purposeof discharging' the chaff blown out of the screen by the fan 31 to theouter air. The bottom 33 of the screen is inclined forwardly and itsinner' end is located above a troug'h 34, in which is mounted aworm-conveyer 35.

I 1n the operation of the machine the shaking-screen 29 is continuouslyagitated through the medium of a rod 36, which is pivotally connected tothe bottom of the screen at one end and at its other end to an eccentricon the shaft 37 of the fan. The screen 29 is pivotally supported towardits rear end by means of hangers 37" from arms 38 on a shaft 39,pivotally mounted in the frame of the machine. Toward its forward endsaid screen is pivotally supported by means of hangers 4() from theframe of the machine. The shaft 39 has a lever-arm 40, which isconnected to a rod 41. 42 indicates an inclined elevator, the lower endof the casing of which is united with one end of the trough 34,containing the conveyer 35, so that the seed falling through the sieve28 upon the bottom 39 of the shaking-screen will fall into the trough 34and be conveyed by the worm 35 to the elevator 42, which latter elevatesthe seed and discharges the same through a spout 43 upon the upper sieve44 of a shaking-screen 45. The shaking-screen 45 is agitated in a mannersimilar to that of the screen 29, the mechanism for this purpose beingomitted to avoid confusion. The seed falling through the sieve 44 dropsupon a second sieve46, and the seed falling through this latter sievedrops upon a third sieve 47, the rear end of which is located over acasing 48, containing a worm-conveyer 49. The

seed. passing through the sieve 47 falls upon a pan 50, constituting'the bottom of the shaking-screen 45, the rear end of which pan islocated over a trough 51, containing' a wormconveyer 52. r1`he seed andunthreshed grain which fails to pass through the sieve 44 drops fromsaid sieve onto the conveyer 12 and is again subjected to the threshingoperation. The forward end portion of the sieve 46 is provided withlarger meshes than the remainder of the sieve, as indicated at 53, andany lumps of dirt or foreign matter failing to pass through the sieve 46will pass through the wider meshes of the portion 53 and drop into a box54 provided for that purpose. The portions of straw or unthreshed grainwhich pass oif of the screen 46 will also be delivered upon the conveyer12 and again be subjected to the threshing operation. The sieve 47constitutes the final means for cleaning and separating the seeds. Themeshes in this sieve are of such size that perfect grains will not passthrough, but will roll over the sieve and fall into the trough 48 and becarried by the Worm-conveyer 49 to the side of the machine, where theywill be delivered into a sack or other receptacle. Broken grain andother fine particles will pass through the meshes of the sieve 47 andfall upon the pan 50, over which they will roll into the trough 51 andbe carried by the worm-conveyer 52 to the outside of the machine andthere delivered into a suitable receptacle. The shaking-screen 45 ispivotally supported at its rear end by means of hangers 55 and at itsforward end is pivotally supported by means of hangers 56 from arms 57on a shaft 58, pivotally mounted in the machine. A lever-arm 58n on saidshaft is connected to one end of the rod 41, the opposite end of whichis connected to the lever-arm 40, as previously described. Intermediateits ends the rod 4l is iixedly secured to the outer end of acrankarm 59,carried by a rock-shaft 59, suitably mounted in the frame of themachine, which rock-shaft is provided with a pendent arm carrying aweight 60. The purpose of this construction is to balance theshaking-screens 29 and 45--rthat is, to insure that their sieves shallalways be held at the proper inclination, so that the seeds will travelover them in the right direction. If this automatic adjustment orbalancing of the screens were not provided, it would be obvious thatshould the machine be traveling up an incline or down a declivity theinclination of the screens would vary, and thus the seeds be caused toroll over thescreens in the wrong direction. With the constructiondescribed, however, any change in position lof the machine from thehorizontal will be automatically compensated for by the swinging weight60, which through the medium of the rod 41 and leverarms 40 and 58a willoperate to vary the inclination of the two shaking-screens in proportionto the variation in the position of the machine. The shaking-screen 45is open at opposite ends, the rear end facing an opening in a fan-casing61, containing a fan 62, and this fan operates to blow chaff from theseed delivered upon the sieve 44 through the shaking-screen to the outerair.

63 indicates the main axle of the machine, having mounted thereon thewheels 64 for supporting and driving the machine. On opposite sides ofthe machine the axle 63 is provided with sprocket wheels 65, rotatabymounted thereon, over which pass sprocketchains 66 to smallsprocket-wheels 67, mounted on a driven shaft 68. Fixedly secured on thedriven shaft 68 is a small gear-wheel 69 and a large gear-wheel 70.

71 indicates a drive-shaft which is provided with a gear-wheel 72 ofabout the same size as the gear-wheel 69 and with a smaller gearwheel73, which is adapted to be brought in mesh with the large gear 7 O ofthe driven shaft 68 for the purpose of changing the rate of travel ofthe machine. Mounted on the drive-shaft 71 is a relatively largereversing friction-gear 74, provided on its interior with a double setof friction-'grooves 75 76, affording between them an annular space orrace 7 7 Mounted on the crank-shaft 4 is a frictiongear 78 of a somewhatless diameter than the distance between the two sets of frictiongroovesand 76 and which occupies a position within the race 77.

79 indicates a throw-lever pivotally mounted on the frame of the'machine and loosely embracing the drive-shaft 71, and by throwing thislever to one side or the other' the friction-gear 74 will be moved tocause either the friction-grooves 75 or 76 to engage the friction-gear78 to reverse the direction of movement of the machine. A rack 80 isprovided for engagement by a dog or ratchet on the lever 79 for holdingthe friction-gear 74 in the position to which it is moved. Only a veryslight movement of the friction-gear 74 is required in reversing themovement of the machine, and this movement can be effected without inany manner disarranging the engagement of the gears 69 and 72 or 70 and73.

In order to provide for a faster or slower rate of movement of themachine, the gears 72 and 73, which are united to each other, aresplined on the shaft 7l, so as to be capable of sliding thereon, and Iconnect to said gears a collar 8l, which is engaged by a throw-lever 82.lVhen the gears 69 and 72 are in mesh, the machine will have the maximumrate of speed. When the gears are moved to bring the gear 73 intoengagement with the gear 70, the machine will be caused to move at aslower rate of speed. When the machine is to be used merely forthreshing grain, then the gears 72 and 73 are moved to a position whereneither gear will mesh with the gears of the driven shaft 68 or thereversing friction-gear 74 is moved out of contact with the frictiongear78, and thus the machine will remain stationary, while the power of themotor is communicated solely to the threshing and conveying mechanism.

Of course in using the machine solely for threshing the operation of thecutter 6 will be discontinued,I and this is effected by throwing theoperating mechanism therefor out of operative relation in any well-knownmanner. Mounted on the crank-shaft 4 is a sprocketgear 83, whichcommunicates motion to the shaft 84 of the cylinder 14 through themedium of a sprocket-chain 85, passing over the sprocket 83 and thesprocket-wheel 86 on the shaft 84. The blower 37 is revolved by meansIOO IOS

IIO

of a crossed belt 87, passing over a pulley 88 on the shaft 37 of saidblower and a pulley 89 on the shaft 84 of the cylinder. 1n asimilarcontrolled by a worm 95, operated from a handle 96 in a well-knownmanner. As the wheels 64 are positively driven, it is necessary toprovide for breaking the driving' connection when the wheel 93 is to beturned to one side or the other. For this purpose 1 provide slidingclutch members 97 98, respectively, loosely mounted on the shaft 63 andnormally held in engagement with the sprocket wheels 65 and the wheels64 by means of springs 101. A disk 102, which is connected to thebearing of the wheel 93 and which is rotated in one direction or theother by the worm 95, has connected to its opposite sides chains 103104. r1`he chain 103 is connected to the clutch member 97 and the chain104 to the clutch member 98, suitable idlerpulleys 105 being providedfor each chain to cause it to exert a pull in a substantially straightdirection on its corresponding clutch member. 1t will be clearlyapparent that if the machine is to be turned, say, to the right as thesteering-wheel is rotated in its bearings for this purpose acorresponding rotation of the disk 102 will cause the chain 103 to pullthe clutch member 97 out of engagement with the wheel 64, so that thewheel 64 on the right-hand side of the machine will be free to rotateindependently of the sprocketwheel 65. The same operation will occur onthe opposite side of the machine if the wheel 93 is turned to the left.The springs 101 cause the clutches to again engage in the Wheels 64, andthus lock said wheels to the sprocket-wheels 65 when the steering-wheelis turned straight. A sufficient slack is maintained on the chains 103104 to admit of slight movement of the steering -gear 103 withouteffecting the engagement of the clutch members. A guard 106 is locatedbeneath the lower end of the conveyer 12 in order to catch any graincarried beyond the concave by the conveyer and cause it to fall upon theendless conveyer 19.

The driving connections not heretofore described may be now brieliyreferred to. The endless conveyer' 19 is driven by a sprocketchain 107from the shaft 84 of the cylinder, as shown more clearly by Fig. 2. Theshaft 108 at the outer end of this conveyer also earries asprocket-wheel 109 for driving the endless convcyer 12 by means of achain 110, the latter being indicated only in Fig. 1 and by dotted linestherein. The shaft 108 also drives a sprocket-chain 111, (shown in Fig.2,) which passes over a sprocket-wheel 112 on a shaft 113. (Shown inFigs. 6 and 7.) From the shaft 113 the various parts carried by theadjustable frame 5 are driven as follows: The shaft 113 has universalconnections 114 and a telescoping connection 115 with a second shaft116, the latter shaft being mounted in a bearing 117, carried by theadjustable frame 5, the shaft 113 being on the stationary frame 1 of themachine proper. The connections 114 and 115 are for the purpose ofpermitting the vertical movement of theframe 5, and to this end thevertical frame member of the frame 1 is provided with a slot 118 foraccommodating the movement of the shaft 116, carried by the adjustableframe. The shaft 116 has on its outer end a pulley 119 for a belt 120,passing over a similar pulley 121 on a shaft 122 of the reel 8, the belt120 passing over guide-pulleys 123, as shown in full lines in Fig. 2 andin dotted lines in Fig. 1. 1ntermediate its ends the shaft 116 has abeveled gear 124, which drives a beveled gear 125 on a shaft 126, asshown by Figs. 6 and 7. The shaft 126 carries at its end a wrist-pin127, to which is connected the rod 7 (shown by Fig. 2) for reciprocatingthe cutter-bar. On the shaft 126 is also a gear-wheel 128, (shown inFig. 7,) which meshes with a similar gearwheel 129, (shown in Fig. 6,)which latter operates through the medium of a pulley to drive a belt130, which latter drives a pulley on the shaft 131, which latter conveysmotion to the combined elevator and conveyer 11 13. On the shaft 126 isalso a belt-pulley for driving a belt 132, which latter imparts motionto a pulley 133 on a shaft 134, which latter imparts motion to thehorizontal or platform conveyer 9. The portion of the shaft 126 betweenthe wrist-pin 127 and the gear 128 is utilized for driving the uprightconveyer 10.

The course of the grain and seed, respectively, through the machine hasbeen suficiently indicated in the description of the mechanism, and itonly remains to emphasize the fact that the construction shown anddescribed presents a combined machine capable of cutting and threshinggrain and of thoroughly cleaning and separatingthe seed, which machineis simple in construction, compact in the arrangement and organizationof its parts, and one that may be manufactured at very much less expensethan any other machine of which I am aware having similar operations inview.

Having thus fully described my invention,

'what I claim as new. and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. 1n a harvesting-machine, in combination with a wheeled bodysupporting threshing mechanism, a vertically adjustable frame mounted onsaid body and carrying' cutters, means on said frame for elevating thecut grain, and a conveyer for delivering the cut grain to the threshingmechanism, said conveyer having one end mounted on said body and itsother end supported for bodily movement on said frame.

2. In a harvesting-machine, in combination with a wheeled bodysupporting threshing mechanism, a vertically adjustable frame mounted onsaid body and carrying cutters, a conveyer for delivering cut grain fromsaid frame to said threshing mechanism, said conveyer having one endsupported on said body,

IOO

IIO

IIS

IZO

`and means for supporting'for bodily movement the other end of saidconveyer from said frame.

3. In a harvesting-machine, in combination with a Wheeled bodysupporting threshing vmechanism, a vertically disposed frame mounted onsaid body and carrying cutters, means for adjusting said frame, aconveyer for delivering cut grain from said frame to said threshingmechanism, said conveyer having one end supported on said body,and meansfor supporting for bodily movement one end of said conveyer from saidframe.

4. In aharvesting-machine, in combination with a Wheeled body supportingthreshing mechanism, a vertically adjustable frame mounted on said bodyand carrying cutters, a conveyer for delivering cut grain from saidframe to said threshing mechanism, said conveyer having one end mountedon said body, means for supporting for bodily movement the other end ofsaid conveyer from said frame, a motor for driving said machine, andmeans actuated by said motor for operating the cutters, conveyer, andthresher.

5. In a harvesting-machine, in combination with a wheeled bodysupporting threshing mechanism, a vertically adjustable frame mounted onsaid body and carrying cutters, a conveyer for delivering cut grain fromsaid frame to said threshing mechanism, said conveyer having one endmounted on said body and its other end mounted Jfor bodily movement onsaid frame, a motor for driving said machine, and means including aflexible shaft actuated by said motor for operating the cutters,conveyer, and threshing mechanism.

6. In a harvesting-machine, in combination with a Wheeled bodysupporting threshing mechanism, a vertically adjustable frame mounted onsaid body and carrying cutters, a rotatable reel mounted on said frame,a system of longitudinally and vertically disposed conveyers alsomounted on said frame, an endless conveyer for delivering the elevatedgrain to said threshing mechanism, said conveyer having one end mountedon said body, and means for supporting for bodilymovement one end ofsaid last-named conveyer from the frame.

7. In a harvesting-machine, in combination With a Wheeled bodysupporting` threshing mechanism, a vertically adjustable Jframe mountedon said body and carrying cutters, a rotatable reel mounted on saidframe, a system of longitudinallyand vertically disposed conveyers alsomounted on said frame, an endless conveyer for delivering the elevatedgrain to said threshing mechanism, said conveyer having one end mountedon said body, means for supporting for bodily movement the other end ofsaid last-named conveyer from the frame, a motor for driving saidmachine, and means actuated by said motor for operating the reelcutters, thresher, and all of said conveyers.

8. In a self-propelled harvesting-machine, in combination with theWheels ofsaid machine, a motor, mechanism associated therewith and Withsaid wheels for driving the latter, a steering-Wheel, means operated bythe turning of said steering-Wheel for disconnecting one or the other ofthe wheels of the machine from the driving mechanism in accordance withthe direction in which the steering- Wheel is turned, cutting mechanismfor cutting standing grain, a thresher, and mechanism t'or deliveringthe cut grain to the thresher.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of twosubscribing witnesses.

JUAN ZOLLINGER.

l/Vitnesses:

BRUCE S. ELLIOTT, HARVEY S. W DE GAU.

